Gargoyles. Art, history, study and observation.
Here is a bit of the passion I feel for these wonderful works of art.
Studying, researching and observing gargoyles is an essential aspect of my daily work. Therefore, with this section I want to share with you some of these moments of study.
Gargoyles on the Luxembourg National Library
Today we're going to Luxembourg to discover some of its gargoyles, specifically the ones on the National Library. The Luxembourg National Library was founded in 1899, replacing the Municipal Library dating back to 1798. In addition to holding a huge number of...
Nudity in Gargoyles
Today's post is about the portrayal of nakedness in gargoyles. In his book on the history of the body in the Middle Ages, the great French Medievalist Jacques Le Goff (1924-2014) tells us that the Roman Empire already exercised containment in terms of the body...
Animal Monsters in Gargoyles
Gargoyles In our discussion of the various types of gargoyles, animal monsters were included in our classification. Animal monsters are hybrid creatures that come from the combination of various animal body parts, and they tend to be fantastical and incredible...
Gargoyles in Gata (Spain)
Today's post is about one of the most interesting sets of gargoyles we have discovered on our trips. They are the gargoyles on the Parish Church of San Pedro in the magnificent town of Gata in the lovely province of Cáceres (Spain). And by magnificent I don't...
The Gargoyles of the Burghers’ Lodge in Bruges
Today’s entry is devoted to the gargoyles of the Burghers’ Lodge (Poortersloge) in Bruges (Belgium), a magnificent building situated in the Jan van Eyck Square. From the 15th century the Lodge was a meeting place for the burghers of Bruges. In the 18th and 19th...
The Devil and his Portrayal in Gargoyles: Part Four
Following on from the last post about gastrocephalic devils and the snake as an animal linked to the idea of good and evil, this post begins by talking about images of the devil in woman's form. In gargoyles it's common to find demonic figures with drooping...
The Devil and his Portrayal in Gargoyles: Part Three
Gargoyles This post continues with the portrayal of the devil in gargoyles, one of their predominant themes. In Christian iconography, the snake is linked with the idea of evil and the devil. “Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as...
Gargoyles in Bruges (Belgium)
In today's post we're off to Belgium to see some gargoyles in the beautiful city of Bruges. Apart from the wonderful gargoyles on major buildings such as the City Hall, the Burghers' Lodge (Poortersloge) and the Provincial Palace (Provinciaal Hof), which we'll...
Gargoyles on San Quirce Church in Burgos (Spain)
Los Ausines (Burgos, Spain) is home to one of the treasures of our Romanesque period, none other than the church belonging to the old Castilian monastery of San Quirce. The monastery is said to have legendary origins. According to tradition, it was founded in...
The Devil and his Portrayal in Gargoyles: Part Two
Gargoyles We continue with devilish symbolism and its portrayal in gargoyles and, after having seen the most common features of iconography of the devil in my first post, we’re now going to look at some other interesting aspects. Apart from the images of the...
Gargoyles on La Maison du Roi in Brussels
Today's journey takes us to Belgium for the first time, specifically to the beautiful city of Brussels, where we can gaze at one of the most wonderful and outstanding squares in the world, the Grand Place. Today's gargoyles can be found on one of the square's...
The Devil and his Portrayal in Gargoyles: Part One
Gargoyles This post starts the study of one of the most fascinating figures decorating gargoyles. It's none other than the devil himself, an ever present and essential image on churches and cathedrals, and one we also see on other buildings in civil architecture. I...
Gargoyles at the University in El Burgo de Osma (Spain)
The University of Santa Catalina in El Burgo de Osma (Soria) was founded by the bishop and benefactor Pedro Álvarez de Acosta (1539-1563) with the idea of setting up the first centre of learning in the province of Soria. Building work on what would eventually...
The Eagle and its Portrayal in Gargoyles
Together with the lion and the dog, the eagle is one of the three real animals most often depicted in gargoyles. We saw the symbolism of the lion and the dog in previous posts. Today we're going to talk about the eagle, the king of birds. The eagle has had...
Gargoyles on the Seu Vella in Lleida
On our last trip to Girona, where we enjoyed a beautiful rainy day and were able to watch the water pouring out of the gargoyles on the cathedral, we embarked on a study and compilation of gargoyles in Catalonia (Spain). Today's post is dedicated to the...
Unusual Animals in Gargoyle Imagery: Part Two
Gargoyles with Extraordinary Animals To continue with the post on unusual animals that appear in images of gargoyles, we invite you to discover some more animals that are every bit as surprising and peculiar as the first one we are showing you today: the...
Gargoyles in Martín Muñoz de las Posadas
In today's post we'll be presenting the gargoyles on the church of Our Lady of the Assumption in the town of Martín Muñoz de las Posadas, in the province of Segovia (Spain). When you arrive in the Plaza Mayor (the town’s main square) you come across this...
Unusual Animals in Gargoyle Imagery: Part One
Gargoyles with Extraordinary Animals In addition to the figures of the lion, the dog and the eagle – the most commonly depicted animals in gargoyles – you can sometimes find depictions of other real animals, making unusual and unique gargoyle images that attract and...
Gargoyles in Quito
The first post on our beloved Latin America is dedicated to Ecuador. We invite you to enjoy the fascinating gargoyles on the Voto Nacional Basilica in Quito, amazing figures that our son Manuel discovered on one of his many trips around the world, where he...
The Gargoyle as a Work of Art and a Museum Exhibit
As a tribute to our beloved gargoyles, we want to dedicate this post to a discussion of the gargoyle as a work of art and a museum exhibit. Studying and compiling gargoyles involves tackling a series of difficulties. This fact could be the reason why, up to...
